ow, where shall I hide?"

"Would you know, King? Then hearken. On the south slope of the
Ingome Range west of the Ibululwana River, on the outskirts of
the great forest, there is a kloof whereof the entrance, which
only one man can pass at a time, is covered by a thicket of
thorns and marked by a black rock shaped like a great toad with
an open mouth, or, as some say, like myself,
'The-Thing-that-should-never-have-been-born.' Near to this rock
dwells an old woman, blind of one eye and lacking a hand, which
the Black One cut off shortly before his death, because when he
killed her father, she saw the future and prophesied a like death
to him, although then she was but a child. This woman is of our
company, being a witch-doctoress. I will send a Spirit to her,
if you so will it, to warn her to watch for you and your company,
O King, and show you the mouth of the kloof, where are some old
huts and water. There you will never be found unless you are
betrayed."

"Who can betray me when none know whither I am going?" asked
Cetewayo. "Send the Spirit, send it at once, that this one-armed
witch may make ready."

"What is the hurry, King, seeing that the forest is far away?
Yet be it as you will. Keep silence now, lest evil should befall
you."

Then of a sudden Zikali seemed to go off into one of his trances.
His form grew rigid, his eyes closed, his face became fixed as
though in death, and foam appeared upon his lips. He was a
dreadful sight to look on, there in the gloomy hut.

Cetewayo watched him and shivered. Then he opened his blanket
and I perceived that fastened about him by a loop of hide in such
a fashion that it could be drawn out in a moment, was the blade
of a broad assegai, the shaft of which was shortened to about six
inches. His hand grasped this shaft, and I understood that he
was contemplating the murder of Zikali. Then it seemed to me
that he changed his mind and that his lips shaped the words--"Not
yet," though whether he really spoke them I do not know. At
least he withdrew his hand and closed the blanket.

Slowly Zikali opened his eyes, staring at the roof of the hut,
whence came a curious sound as of squeaking bats. He looked like
a dead man coming to life again. For a few moments he turned up
his ear as though he listened to the squealing, then said--

"It is well. The Spirit that I summoned has visited her of our
company who is named One-hand and returned with the answer. Did